ABSTRACT: Pulmonary fibrosis results from dysregulated repair of damaged tissue caused by persistent injury of lung epithelium. Multiple cell types in the lung are involved in the process of repair. During lung fibrogenesis, normal endothelial cells (EC) are re-programmed into fibrosis-associated EC. Transcriptional factors that control re-programming are poorly understood. Using single cell RNA-sequencing of EC from donor and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs, and lungs from bleomycin-treated mice, we identified endothelial transcription factors (TF) that were differentially expressed during fibrosis. Focusing on one of endothelial TF, FOXF1, we demonstrated that FOXF1 is decreased in EC within human IPF and mouse bleomycin-injured fibrotic lungs.
Project description:Pulmonary fibrosis results from dysregulated repair of damaged tissue caused by persistent injury of lung epithelium. Multiple cell types in the lung are involved in the process of repair. During lung fibrogenesis, normal endothelial cells (EC) are re-programmed into fibrosis-associated EC. Transcriptional factors that control re-programming are poorly understood. Using single cell RNA-sequencing of EC from donor and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs, and lungs from bleomycin-treated mice, we identified endothelial transcription factors (TF) that were differentially expressed during fibrosis. Focusing on one of endothelial TF, FOXF1, we demonstrated that FOXF1 is decreased in EC within human IPF and mouse bleomycin-injured fibrotic lungs.
Project description:Pulmonary fibrosis results from dysregulated repair of damaged tissue caused by persistent injury of lung epithelium. Multiple cell types in the lung are involved in the process of repair. During lung fibrogenesis, normal endothelial cells (EC) are re-programmed into fibrosis-associated EC. Transcriptional factors that control re-programming are poorly understood. Using single cell RNA-sequencing of EC from donor and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lungs, and lungs from bleomycin-treated mice, we identified endothelial transcription factors (TF) that were differentially expressed during fibrosis. Focusing on one of endothelial TF, FOXF1, we demonstrated that FOXF1 is decreased in EC within human IPF and mouse bleomycin-injured fibrotic lungs.
Project description:Aberrant expression of master phenotype regulators by lung fibroblasts may play a central role in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Interrogating IPF fibroblast transcriptome datasets, we identified Forkhead Box F1 (FOXF1), a DNA-binding protein required for lung development, as a candidate actor in IPF. Thus, we determined FOXF1 expression levels in fibroblasts cultured from normal or IPF lungs in vitro, and explored FOXF1 functions in these cells using transient and stable loss-of-function and gain-of-function models. FOXF1 mRNA and protein were expressed at higher levels in IPF compared with controls. In normal lung fibroblasts, FOXF1 repressed key fibroblast functions such as proliferation, survival, and expression of collagen-1 (COL1) and actin related protein 2/3 complex, subunit 2 (ARPC2). ARPC2 knockdown mimicked FOXF1 overexpression with regard to proliferation and COL1 expression. FOXF1 expression was induced by the antifibrotic mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Ex vivo, FOXF1 knockdown conferred CCL-210 lung fibroblasts the ability to implant and survive in uninjured mouse lungs. In IPF lung fibroblasts, FOXF1 regulated COL1 but not ARPC2 expression. In conclusion, FOXF1 functions and regulation were consistent with an antifibrotic role in lung fibroblasts. Higher FOXF1 levels in IPF fibroblasts may thus participate in a compensatory response to fibrogenesis. Lung fibroblasts derived from 4 different IPF patients (P313, P355, P375 and P426) were transiently transfected with pcfoxf1 or control pcDNA3.1-constructs. Total RNAs were extracted 24 h after transfection and hybridized on microarrays. One color experiment with 2 experimental conditions: pcfoxf1 and pcDNA3.1
Project description:Aberrant expression of master phenotype regulators by lung fibroblasts may play a central role in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Interrogating IPF fibroblast transcriptome datasets, we identified Forkhead Box F1 (FOXF1), a DNA-binding protein required for lung development, as a candidate actor in IPF. Thus, we determined FOXF1 expression levels in fibroblasts cultured from normal or IPF lungs in vitro, and explored FOXF1 functions in these cells using transient and stable loss-of-function and gain-of-function models. FOXF1 mRNA and protein were expressed at higher levels in IPF compared with controls. In normal lung fibroblasts, FOXF1 repressed key fibroblast functions such as proliferation, survival, and expression of collagen-1 (COL1) and actin related protein 2/3 complex, subunit 2 (ARPC2). ARPC2 knockdown mimicked FOXF1 overexpression with regard to proliferation and COL1 expression. FOXF1 expression was induced by the antifibrotic mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Ex vivo, FOXF1 knockdown conferred CCL-210 lung fibroblasts the ability to implant and survive in uninjured mouse lungs. In IPF lung fibroblasts, FOXF1 regulated COL1 but not ARPC2 expression. In conclusion, FOXF1 functions and regulation were consistent with an antifibrotic role in lung fibroblasts. Higher FOXF1 levels in IPF fibroblasts may thus participate in a compensatory response to fibrogenesis.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a complex disease involving various cell types. Macrophages are essential in maintenance of physiological homeostasis, wound repair and fibrosis in the lung. Macrophages play a crucial role in repair and remodeling by altering their phenotype and secretory pattern in response to injury. The secretome of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-cm) attenuates injury and fibrosis in bleomycin injured rat lungs. In the current study, we evaluate the effect of iPSC-cm on interstitial macrophage gene expression and phenotype in bleomycin injured rat lungs in vivo. Â iPSC-cm was intratracheally instilled 7 days after bleomycin induced lung injury and assessed 7 days later and single cell isolation was performed. Macrophages were FACS sorted and microarray analysis was performed. We characterized changes in the rat lung interstitial macrophages using transcriptional profiling.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by aberrant accumulation of collagen-secreting myofibroblasts. Development of effective therapies is limited due to incomplete understanding of molecular mechanisms regulating myofibroblast expansion. FOXF1 transcription factor is expressed in resident lung fibroblasts, but its role in lung fibrosis remains unknown due to the lack of genetic mouse models. Through comprehensive analysis of human IPF genomics data, lung biopsies and transgenic mice with fibroblast-specific inactivation of FOXF1, the present study shows that FOXF1 inhibits pulmonary fibrosis. FOXF1 deletion increases myofibroblast invasion, collagen secretion, and promotes a switch from of N-cadherin (CDH2) to Cadherin-11 (CDH11), which is critical step in acquisition of pro-fibrotic phenotype. FOXF1 directly binds to Cdh2 and Cdh11 promoters and differentially regulates transcription of these genes. Re-expression of CDH2 or inhibition of CDH11 in FOXF1-deficient cells reduces myofibroblast invasion in vitro. FOXF1 inhibits pulmonary fibrosis by regulating a switch from CDH2 to CDH11 in lung myofibroblasts.
Project description:Interstitial lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are caused by persistent micro-injuries to alveolar epithelial tissues accompanied by aberrant repair processes. Despite substantial advancement in our understanding of IPF progression, numerous questions remain concerning disease pathology. IPF is currently treated with pirfenidone and nintedanib, compounds which slow the rate of disease progression but fail to target underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. The DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase-1 (OGG1) is upregulated following TGF-β1 exposure in several fibrosis-associated cell types. Currently, no pharmaceutical solutions targeting OGG1 have been utilized in the treatment of IPF. In this study, administration of Ogg1-targetting siRNA, mitigated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice, thereby highlighting OGG1 as a tractable target in lung fibrosis. The novel small molecule OGG1 inhibitor, TH5487, decreased myofibroblast transition and associated pro-fibrotic markers in fibroblast cells. In addition, TH5487 decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine production, inflammatory cell infiltration, and lung remodeling in a murine model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. OGG1 and SMAD7 interact to induce fibroblast proliferation and differentiation, with both increased in fibrotic murine and IPF patient lung tissue. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that TH5487 is a potent, specific, and clinically-relevant treatment for IPF. This DIA-MS dataset entails the raw data and peptide-centric DIA-NN search results of both, lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of n=5 mice profiled across the treatment groups bleomycin combined with TH (BTH), dexamethasone (DEX), TH alone (TH) and vehicle control (V) relative to bleomycin alone (B) as control. Different animals within protein groups were considered biological replicates of the respective treatment condition.
Project description:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a pathological condition of unknown etiology which results from injury to the lung and an ensuing fibrotic response that leads to thickening of the alveolar walls and obliteration of the alveolar space. The pathogenesis is not clear and there are currently no effective therapies for IPF. Small airway disease and mucus accumulation are prominent features in IPF lungs, similar to Cystic Fibrosis (CF) lung disease. The ATP12A gene encodes the alpha-subunit of the non-gastric H+, K+-ATPase, which functions to acidify the airway surface fluid and impairs mucociliary transport function in cystic fibrosis patients. We hypothesize that the ATP12A protein may play a role in the pathogenesis of IPF. Our studies demonstrate that ATP12A protein is overexpressed in distal small airways from IPF patient lungs compared to normal human lungs. In addition, overexpression of the ATP12A protein in mouse lungs worsened the bleomycin (BLEO)-induced experimental pulmonary fibrosis. This was prevented by a potassium-competitive proton pump blocker, vonoprazan (VON). This data supports the concept that the ATP12A protein plays an important role in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis. Inhibition of the ATP12A protein has the potential as a novel therapeutic strategy in IPF.
Project description:Intratracheal application of bleomycin is known to induce inflammatory and fibrotic reactions in the lung within a short period of time and histological features include infiltration of inflammatory cells, collagen deposition and obliteration of alveolar spaces. Because some of these features are found in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis animal model is commonly used. However, exploratory treatments that were successfully used in this animal model and progressed to clinical trials lacked significant efficacy in humans. Here, the bleomycin-induced rat lung fibrosis model was studied using whole genome expression data that was collected at various time points and the relevance to human disease was evaluated through comparison with whole genome expression data from IPF patient-derived lung biopsies. The highest gene expression correlation between both species was observed in animals 7 days after bleomycin instillation. These gene expression signatures helped to identify a set of twelve novel disease-relevant translational gene markers that were able to separate IPF patients from controls. Furthermore, three Wnt/-catenin pathway-related genes that belong to this translational gene marker set showed, together with clinical diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) measurements, the potential to stratify IPF patients according to disease severity. Pirfenidone attenuated a subset of the translational gene markers in the bleomycin-induced fibrosis model, in particular those related to Wnt/-catenin-signaling. This novel translational gene marker panel offers improved possibilities to evaluate disease-modifying efficacy of novel therapeutic concepts in the bleomycin-induced rat lung fibrosis model and could be applied as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for IPF patient care. Comparison of bleomycin-treated and control rats after 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks; 5 animals per group
Project description:Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease in which pulmonary arterial (PA) endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction is associated with unrepaired DNA damage. BMPR2 is the most common mutant gene in PAH. We report that human PAEC with reduced BMPR2 have persistent DNA damage in room air after hypoxic exposure (reoxygenation), as do mice with EC deletion of Bmpr2 (EC-Bmpr2-/-) and persistent pulmonary hypertension. Similar findings are observed in PAEC with loss of the DNA damage sensor ATM, and in mice with Atm deleted in EC (EC-Atm-/-). Gene expression analysis of EC-Atm-/- and EC-Bmpr2-/- lung EC revealed reduced Foxf1, a transcription factor with relative selectivity for lung EC. Reducing FOXF1 in control PAEC induced DNA damage and impaired angiogenesis whereas transfection of FOXF1 in PAH PAEC repaired DNA damage and restored angiogenesis. Lung EC targeted delivery of Foxf1 to reoxygenated EC-Bmpr2-/- mice repaired DNA damage, induced angiogenesis and reversed pulmonary hypertension.